Officials sent out a news release Friday morning stating that recent national news events, such as the death of Robin Williams, have seen the number of completed suicides in the parish rise to 26. Prior to his death, the parish recorded 21 suicide deaths so far this year.

"Today is the ninth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall in Slidell and that could trigger post-traumatic stress in thousands of people," Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith said. "But they need to know that [the] community is behind them. We are ready to respond when people need help. No one is alone here."

According to the statement provided, officials added that even though a cause-effect relationship cannot be proven for the number of suicides across the parish, a spike has been noted and the issue needs to be addressed.

"There is no shame in depression or mental illness," Smith said. "We are here to help without [making a] judgment."

Residents having suicidal thoughts should remember that help is available through a variety of resources and organizations. One of them is the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK (8255).

And in St. Tammany Parish, residents can reach out to the National Alliance for Mental Illness at 985-626-6538. You can also call the United Way hotline by dialing 211.

"In an emergency -- whether you are suicidal or you are aware of someone who is -- please do not hesitate to call 911," Smith said. "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, and there are always alternatives."

HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON MANY STILL TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE STRESS OF THE STORM AND ITS AFTERMATH. AND THE RESULTS COULD BE DEVASTATING. ST. TAMMANY PARISH HAS ALREADY SEEN MORE THAN ITS SHARE OF SUICIDES THIS YEAR.. AND NORTH SHORE REPORTER HEATH ALLEN TELLS US.. OFFICIALS WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HELP IS AVAILABLE. People that are feeling depressed and hopeless, a day like today is not unusual to cause a spike in suicides. THE NUMBERS WERE ALREADY ALARMING. BY EARLY AUGUST.. THE PARISH HAD ALREADY SUSTAINED 21 SUICIDES .. AND MANY MORE ATTEMPTS. THEN NEWS THAT COMEDIAN ROBIN WILLIAMS KILLED HIMSELF.. AND THERE WERE 5 MORE SUICIDES IN THE 18 DAYS THEREAFTER. NOW IT IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF HURRICANE KATRINA.. AND DOCTOR PRESTON SAYS MEMORIES OF THE STORM.. AND THE RELATED STRESS COULD TRIGGER MORE. Now, you drive around you can hardly tell that the storm ever happened until you make a corner, and there's a house that is still overgrown and still has the blue roof and it is just like yesterday. There is help out there. Mental health, illness, depression it is a serious illness. We want people to know that we are here for them. We care about them, and they are not alone. IN THE CITY OF SLIDELL.. POLICE CHIEF RANDY SMITH SAYS HIS OFFICE HAS SEEN A SPIKE IN ATTEMPTED SUICIDES AS WELL. THE MESSAGE HE SAYS TO EVERYONE.. IS THAT HELP IS AVAILABLE. THE CHIEF SAYS THE KATRINA ANNIVERSARY COULD TRIGGER POST TRAUMATIC STRESS IN THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. It does cause a lot of stress, which causes depression, which is a mental illness that needs treating and that's what we are trying to do, get the word out that we are here to help as a community. BOTH PRESTON AND SMITH URGE PEOPLE FEELING HOPELESS OR DEPRESSED TO REACH OUT FOR THE HELP AVAILABLE FROM MANY SOURCES. DON'T LET SUICIDE BE A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO A TEMPORARY PROBLEM. THERE ARE ALWAYS ALTERNATIVES. ON YOUR SIDE ON THE NORTH SHORE, HEATH ALLEN WDSU NEWS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES TO CALL FOR HELP OR ASSISTANCE. FOR INFORMATION.. JUST LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WDSU.COM. MAKING HEADLINES ACROSS AMERICA